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JINN THEORY
Rafiq is quite satisfied with himself. Of mixed American and Lebanese heritage, he’s enjoyed a life of spiritual seeking within a very liberal and progressive Islam. As the proprietor of a small but eclectic antique shop in Istanbul he entertains a colorful mix of neighbors on a small dead-end street. Rafiq smugly believes he has these people all figured out: The old baker whose family has abandoned him, the sophisticated snob who parades in and proceeds to insult him and everything in his shop, the Sufi who’s trying to save his soul, and the fundamentalists at the end of the street who run the small mosque.
When the lives of these people begin to unravel, Rafiq finds himself at the heart of a maelstrom which threatens to destroy his peaceful solitude and the morning reveries he enjoys in the garden behind his shop. Then there’s the old coin that appears mysteriously in his shoe, a trumpet that just won’t stay put, and the unexpected arrival of an old friend in the middle of the night. But what’s most troubling for Rafiq is the arrival of the Jinn who is at the heart of it all.
JINN THEORY is a story of transformation and redemption that touches upon several of the troubled aspects of Islam today without taking a heavy hand or mounting the mimbar (pulpit).
The purpose of JINN THEORY is not to preach, convert, push political narratives or to provide pat and simplistic answers to complex issues. It seeks rather to entertain and inspire while examining a variety of critical themes within the context of a good story that illustrates the life journeys of very real kinds of people struggling within a changing world. JINN THEORY is a standalone work, but also forms the basis of a quartet of novels that will follow familiar characters while introducing new faces that deepen the exploration of themes opened in the first work.
When the lives of these people begin to unravel, Rafiq finds himself at the heart of a maelstrom which threatens to destroy his peaceful solitude and the morning reveries he enjoys in the garden behind his shop. Then there’s the old coin that appears mysteriously in his shoe, a trumpet that just won’t stay put, and the unexpected arrival of an old friend in the middle of the night. But what’s most troubling for Rafiq is the arrival of the Jinn who is at the heart of it all.
JINN THEORY is a story of transformation and redemption that touches upon several of the troubled aspects of Islam today without taking a heavy hand or mounting the mimbar (pulpit).
The purpose of JINN THEORY is not to preach, convert, push political narratives or to provide pat and simplistic answers to complex issues. It seeks rather to entertain and inspire while examining a variety of critical themes within the context of a good story that illustrates the life journeys of very real kinds of people struggling within a changing world. JINN THEORY is a standalone work, but also forms the basis of a quartet of novels that will follow familiar characters while introducing new faces that deepen the exploration of themes opened in the first work.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 24, 2015
First, there were way too many characters brewing in the story. If I left the book for a couple of days, I would lose the whole plot and get mixed up with the characters. In the end, I had to write down who was who and what was their role.
Second, the story from the very beginning promised a grand ending which got lost somewhere in the end and left me quite disappointed. It was like, this is the end, bring all the characters together (literally) and then let them lose again.
Besides the shortfalls, the story had some essence and potential.
Second, the story from the very beginning promised a grand ending which got lost somewhere in the end and left me quite disappointed. It was like, this is the end, bring all the characters together (literally) and then let them lose again.
Besides the shortfalls, the story had some essence and potential.
April 24, 2020
How did people miss this one? This book has such a colourful and fascinating storyline. Magical. I read it at first, loved it, and then asked my daughter to have a read. She loved it too! Today, my kids and I are true fans.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews